Latest Automatic Transmission Fluid Repair and Installation Advice

changing fluid & filter on 06 Civic is

What is the procedure for changing the fluid and filter on this Civic is ? It looks as if there is a drain plug on the side with a recessed hexagonal hole taking about a 12 to 14 hex wrench to remove.

Response From Sidom

Auto or manual?

Response From comnavguy

Dang me! I should'a said it was an automatic.

I have a Chilton (next to useless) and it looks as it there is not a filter in this trans. However, I wonder if there is a way to get the fluid out of the torque converter. The way the procedure explains it, it's only diluted.

Response From Sidom

Like HT said, the only way to exchange all the fluid is with an exchange machine. Back in the day some of the older domestics use to have a little plug on the converter you drain the fluid from but those have disappeared along time ago... Exchanger is the only way to completely change out the fluid now.....Obviously it would be better to do a drain & fill than nothing at all but you wouldn't be getting it all.......

I have to take exception with Chilton manuals being useless....The larger truck manuals make excellent wheel blocks......2nd to none......

All kidding as I never realized Chilton has a professional database. My shop demo'd if it for a few weeks & I was impressed with it. It could've been my low expectations going in but I liked it. Good info, way easier to navigate than Mitchell. Between Alldata, Mitchell & Chilton I would rank it #2 with Alldata getting the #1 spot. Mitchell has good info but it's so dang hard to find anything and if you REALLY need some info, you'll never find it. Definitely not designed with your average mechanic in mind. You need some pretty good computer skills to use it...... I will say that Mitchell does have the best wiring diagrams out of all 3.

As far as Chilton DIY manual go........You nailed it........They're worthless as a database

Concerning the ATF, using Dexron or anything other than the specified ATF-Z1 can affect the shifting performance and would void what was left of any warranty....

Response From comnavguy

It makes sense to me that if changing the tranny fluid is a good idea, doing only 1/3 is a bad idea. At one time, some Targets had a car shop which used a flush machine and they did the jobs for $49.

Having dropped a couple of pans and cleaned the "getter" magnets, I wonder how a flush machine can get all that metal out of the pans and off the magnets? You'd have to have a flush with the power of a fire hose to do that job.

I know the fluid is more critical than I once thought. I was once a proud owner of one of the thousands of Ford products - Gran Marquis, Crown Vics, Town Cars - which had the "wrong" fluid from the factory (dozens of tech service bulletins, no recalls) causing the tranny to downshift on SLIGHT accelleration at highway speeds.

It just seems strange that there is no good way to completely drain the tranny and TC on this Civic.

Thanks for the help, guys.

Response From Hammer Time

Your not going to find any $49 dollar flushes now, especially since the fluid alone retails for $5 or $6 a qt and you use about 10 qts. and you have at least 1/2 hour labor to do the job.

The whole idea about flushing is to do it before all that metal appears in the pan. Once that happens, it's really too late for anything.

Is that plug at the end of the tranny the drain plug? I just read the Chilton, and it looks as if there is no way to drain the torque converters

Is there any little trick that I can use to get MOST of the juice outa the TC?

And what is it with using ONLY Honda fluid?

Response From Hammer Time

Draining fluid is pretty much useless. You only get about 1/3 of the capacity. Your much better off just using an exchange machine. That way it all gets changed.

Automatic Transmission Fluid Flush

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Question From bernsax on Automatic Transmission Fluid Flush

The maintenance schedule that came with my 2004 Dodge Stratus 2.7 states to change the automatic transmission fluid at 60,000 miles for normal operation.

My mechanic says that is nonsence and it should be flushed and changed every 30,000 miles. He added that if I followed this schedule the transmission may last 100,000 miles.

Could it be a misprint in the maintenance schedule.

How often do you experts think this service should be performed?

And is 100,000 miles stretching it for this transmission?

Response From brbettge

factory maintenance procedures are always best to follow. 60k miles is fine for this vehicle. only thing i would do differently is to have a t-tech service done rather than just the fluid change. when you have a fluid service done less than half the fluid is changed. a t-tech machine changes all of the fluid -as much as 14 quarts in some transmissions. It is more expensive but when you change your engine oil do you only change one quart and add a new quart? of course not, just like you wouldn't want to change a baby's diaper and not clean off it's lil butt! do it complete, do it correct, do it on time and your tranny will last a lifetime!

Response From Mariospr☆☆☆☆☆Top Rated Answer

I would stick to 30 thousand on this vehicle you have here. Me and My father have been working on Chryslers and Dodge (Same Thing) For a long time. 30 K is the best way to keep these mopar tranny's from being sissy's. I mean 60 thousand is alot. Espeacially when you take into account where you live and the conditions. If you live in a heated very heated climate 30 thousand would be great. Cooler weather or maybe not really driving the vehicle all that much can allow you to wait for the servicing of the trans.(Take longer time.) Key for yourself is to roll your sleeves up during the weekend and just pull the dipstick. Get a funky smell like a burnt smell then it's time to take it in asap. Also your car will begin to tell you all of this while driving. Slight slipping or harsh shifting is always a big HINT from your car telling you something is wrong. But check the fluids make sure you have enough and have a good transmission fluid smell. Automatic trans flushes are great because the machine doesn't just change 5 or 4 qt's that you dropped from dropping the transpan it allows you to change all of the fluid! Just make sure you do it somewhere where the ACTUALLY REALLY USE THE MACHINE. (Avoid the scams)

Response From way2old

Normal operation is very misleading. If you do stop and go driving, drive in extreme heat or cold, that is severe duty. Normal conditions is interstate driving at 60 mph without any need to decrease or increase the speed for any reason except stopping for fuel and fluid changes. I would see what the manual says for severe duty.

Manual transmission won't engage

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Question From jeffreyinmilw on Manual transmission won't engage

I recently had a new clutch, slave cylinder and master cylinder installed on my 2001 Ford Ranger. The flywheel was also machined. Two weeks later the original symptoms appeared again, namely difficulty in engaging gears. They bled the lines and it worked for another 2 weeks. This time they replaced the master cylinder. Now two weeks later the problems arose again. It is an intermittent problem usually occurring at first start up in the morning and after extended highway usage. Sometimes in order to engage I have to turn the truck off and then it slides easily into gear. Any ideas?

Response From DanD☆☆☆☆☆Top Rated Answer

Make sure the proper oil was used in the transmission; most of the Rangers take automatic transmission fluid (Mercon).

Dan.

Response From dave284

The problem could be in the trans itself....need to check the oil level...I think by removing the speed gear...not too sure on that one, if thats ok then need to check for leaks and adjustments on brake pedal......also there could have got some trash in the lines too, and last thing there is a certain procedure to bleeding a master cylinder when installing.

1983 Subaru smokes after adding trans fluid

Hi,new at this so all help greatly appreciated! I have a 1983 Subaru 2 wheel drive wagon with auto.trans. and 130000 miles. I put it gear and would not move forward or back. added 2 quarts trans fluid, now it drives fine does not appear to be over filled but billows white smoke out the exhaust. Any ideas? Sincerely, Rob

Response From Loren Champlain Sr☆☆☆☆☆Top Rated Answer

Rob; Assuming that you aren't having an overheating issue; Automatic transmission fluid burnts white. Not sure if Subaru used a vacuum modulator, but it's possible that the transmission fluid is being 'sucked' into the engine. Would explain the loss of fluid and the white smoke. Find a reputable trans. shop to have it checked.

Burst Radiator Hose. Battery dead?

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Question From HondaMusician on Burst Radiator Hose. Battery dead?

Hey guys,

first time here. Was driving my 1989 Honda Accord DX yesterday in record heat and the upper radiator hose burst. Temp gauge dropped and car started smoking. Stopped driving and got a tow home.

I replaced the hose, but now the car isn't starting. It wants to turn and almost catches, but won't start. The battery light is on. Could the burst radiator hose have killed the battery? Maybe a short circuit?

When I replaced the hose some red liquid came out, looked like oil or coolant. no idea. any thoughts?

any help is appreciated.

Response From Hammer Time

OH, your problems are going to be a lot worse than that. You drove it hot until it just stopped. It's pretty likely fried now. You can take a compression test to confirm this but I'm betting you just turned a $20 radiator hose into a blown motor..

Response From dmac0923☆☆☆☆☆Top Rated Answer

the red was probably automatic transmission fluid. like hammer said if u ran your engine overheating until it stopped you likely seized something up and bye bye

Response From HondaMusician

no I didn't drive it much farther after it blew, although it was maybe a minute. just got off the road right away.

Response From Hammer Time

Was the smoke coming out the tailpipe or around the engine area?

Response From HondaMusician

it was coming from the engine area. it came from where the hose was broked, and also on the other side of the engine, from underneath.

Response From Hammer Time

The only other possible explanation is the coolant got into the ignition system. Your going to have to perform some tests to find out. Check for spark at the plug end of the wire with a spark tester and if you have spark, you'll have to do the compression test.

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